Be Mine
by Emi Aiko
Summary: Because even a beast needs a tamer and fate did just that. In its own peculiar way, two incompatible hearts were brought together and surely, Cupid has all the answers to it. However, with possessive people appearing, assassins popping out and hidden dark secrets making itself known, no one said everything will go as planned, right? AU. AkaxfemKuro.
1. A Phantom meets Miracles

**Disclaimer:** _Kuroko no Basuke_ doesn't belong to me.  
All credits to Fujimaki-sensei, you rock!  
And as you can see, I own only the story plot and some OCs.  
Also, the image serving as my book cover belongs to its rightful artist.

* * *

_Teiko_ Corporation was one of the largest, successful business firms in the world. It was a veteran in the business world, which has been flourishing since its birth. Under _Teiko_ came the alliance of five other powerful companies: _Rakuzan, Shutoku, Yosen, Touo _and_ Kaijou_. Each company was led by a genius. There were five such geniuses, also known as the '_Kiseki no Sedai'._ Their appearance shook the very foundation of the business world. Never in history had such geniuses appeared at the same time; each very talented and skillful in their own ways. With their intelligence combined, the success of Teiko was guaranteed for years to come.

But that was just a façade to the naïve, outside world and media. With business, also came its dark side, the **underworld**. Like the business world, this world was ruthless and brutal but here money and profits was second to the pleasure of having your enemy's head served to you in a silver platter, literally. Oh yes, it was definitely not sunshine and rainbows on this side. The _Kiseki no Sedai _of this world was even more deadly. They crushed, destroyed and showed what true fear was to their foes by bringing forth their high-leveled combat skills and power. True monsters in human form were the only words that could describe them. To most of the inhabitants of the underworld, they became the law.

* * *

**Tokyo, Japan. **

**11:04 am.**

A private meeting with the Teiko head and the respective heads of its alliance was being held at a lavish manor. The walls of the meeting room had warm gold tones to it with fine ivory silk drapes; a set of French windows opened to the well-maintained gardens giving off a peaceful scene. In the middle stood a large mahogany oval shaped table with all heads seated at their rightful places.

"Ne, ne, Nijimura-_senpai_, what will we discuss in today's meeting~?! Ne?" asked a bubbly, handsome Blond with beautiful golden eyes. He was the current head of _Kaijou_ Corporation, Kise Ryouta, a genius who was known for his sly ways at handling business and people. Mostly known for his devilishly good looks and charm, he was a sought out personality by the media who would do anything to have him graced their magazine covers and other profiting articles.

Nijimura Shuuzou, the current president of _Teiko_ Corporation, let out a deep sigh in reply as he put down the fountain pen he had been twirling with, infront of him, on top of a stack of blank papers. He was a knowledgeable, black-haired man who held the reins of Teiko since he turned twenty-one. One of the few people known to gain the respect of the _Kiseki no Sedai_, he held the pride of Teiko and was merciless when competition aroused_._

"Kise, I would appreciate if you pipe down that hyper side of yours. It's already giving me a migraine. Both you and my never ending piles of paperwork," Nijimura replied, whilst staring sharply at the said person.

"How mean~! You're not even with your paperwork~!" came the expected reply and a bucket full of crocodile tears.

A groan came from a tanned-skin man with indigo colored hair seated just next to the now weeping blond-head. "Kise, shut up, you annoying bastard!" growled the man in annoyance. Aomine Daiki was his name. He was the current head of _Touo_ Corporation; another established genius in their world who hunted down his prey like a true predator would. He was lean, tall and bore striking features. A man full of arrogance and laziness, living with the belief that, _'the only one who can beat me is me'_.

Cue more wails and an exaggerated cry of _'Aominecchi!' _which had everyone present getting more annoyed. "Kise-chin, I want to crush you now. Even _maibou _agrees with me," a lazy drawl from a childish purple haired giant was heard followed by a crunching sound. Well, he was not exactly a giant, but you will think of him as one when you came face to face. Standing at over 6'10, he was a sight to behold. He carried with him a childish demeanor who had an obsession with snacks and was often known for having a screw loose outside of work but he was not to be underestimated; childish as he seemed, he had a sadistic streak when it came to crushing his opponents. He was Murasakibara Atsushi, head of _Yosen_ Corporation, a true sadistic genius.

"_Oha-Asa_ did mention that Gemini would have an unlucky day, _nanodayo_. A good thing that I brought along this lucky item," said a green-haired man with glasses as he flashed out a green frog made of porcelain, which he held with his slender, long bandaged wrapped fingers. "Who knows what luck will befall me being next to an unlucky person? And by the way, Kise, your lucky item today is a red umbrella, _nanodayo_." He continued on.

The person speaking was Midorima Shintarou, head of _Shutoku_ Corporation. Just like the rest, he was also a genius who had a wide knowledge in the field of science. He was a firm _Oha-Asa_ believer who always carried his lucky item with him wherever he went, much to the annoyance of his colleagues and friends. Nonetheless, when push comes to shove, his skills became more deadly and dangerous, and like Aomine, he also went on with the belief that, _'Man proposes, God disposes.' A_mongst his many successful accomplishments was the fact that he was an established pianist who gave private concerts every now and then.

Tired of his previous activity, Kise just pouted, sulkily. "Everyone is so mean. Maybe _Oha-Asa_ is right about my unlucky day. I mean, just look, I have a _ganguro_, a cookie giant and a _tsundere _ganging up on me!" His voice went a pitch higher as he pointed at the accused people respectively.

Chaos ensued once more. Nijimura just fell back on his seat with a look of defeat. This happened every time they got together. The media would have had a field day when they realized that this was the true nature of these so called geniuses behind the cameras.

Sometimes, no, scratch that, he _always _felt like a strict grandfather taking care of his grandchildren. Well, he was the oldest among them whether he liked it or not. At this point, retirement sounded like paradise to him, which unfortunately was possible maybe after 30 years or so. He was just in his late twenties for goodness sake! With a huff, he decided he would simply wait for _that person_ to end the disturbance.

And as if his prayer was heard, in the midst of the chaos, seated at the opposite end of the table right across to where Nijimura sat, heterochromatic eyes finally snapped open from its brief serene state and swiftly scanned the scene infront of him. "_Silence_," an icy cold voice that promised pain and suffering, commanded. Almost immediately, pin-drop silence filled the room. The beast had awoken and they would very much become best friends playing a game of basketball then go against him.

Only Nijimura seemed unaffected as he adjusted his seating position. "Akashi," he simply nodded at the now revealed owner of the heterochromatic eyes. Retirement could wait later, he decided, it was time to get serious.

Akashi Seijuurou, also known as the Red Emperor, headed the_ Rakuzan_ Corporation. He was a man widely feared and respected by his peers and foes alike. A genius among geniuses who grasped victory like one would breathe in oxygen. Born from the elite Akashi household, success was bound to follow him since birth. Despite his short stature, for someone his age, he carried himself with an air of authority with his words being _absolute_ and if those were not enough, his crimson red hair, heterochromatic eyes and strikingly handsome features made him stand out even more. It was also a known fact that he was a brilliant _shogi_ player and the true mastermind behind every success that Teiko achieved. In comparison to the others, he was the one to be truly feared; a combination of the other four geniuses or even worse than that and hence, the given epithet.

"Nijimura-san," Akashi paused as he caught sight of Aomine and Kise making faces at each other like they were five year old's. They immediately dropped their antics when heterochromatic eyes stared them down. "We have a guest coming over, yes?" He continued were he left.

The said person just nodded not surprised that the Red Emperor knew, "_Requiem_," His charcoal colored eyes twinkled in amusement when he saw the other four apart from Akashi stiffen as if someone asked them to jump down from the top of the Eiffel Tower. "An agreement has been made and _Requiem_ will come under our alliance. A representative is expected soon," said Nijimura as he glanced at his watch.

* * *

"EHHHH?! NO WAY!" Kise stood up abruptly from his seat, resulting in the dramatic fall of his leather chair. "IMPOSSIBLE! UWAH!" Trust Kise to bring in his theatrical skills to a meeting.

Nijimura sighed, "Sit down and behave for once, Kise." He ordered.

Instantly, Kise had his chair back to its former position and sat down. He was curious alright, very curious. _Requiem_, a feared, ruthless organization mostly made up of assassins, in the underworld, was a name spoken in whispers. To have their alliance was like hitting jackpot. Rumor has it that they ruled the underworld from the shadows. The head and its members were never seen except by their victims. To summarize, they were a truly enigmatic group who could rival with the likes of the _Kiseki no Sedai_.

How Teiko got an alliance with such an organization was a question left floating in the now quiet room. "Well, firstly, please be on your best behavior, okay? Secondly—" began Nijimura but was cut off by a soft hum.

Weapons were drawn out within seconds flat as five different pair of eyes narrowed in response and scanned the room for the unwanted intruder. There was no one present, which didn't make sense. They were sure someone was with them.

Nijimura, who didn't bother reacting from the start, slowly lifted his right hand up as an '_it's okay'_ sign. "Drop your weapons," was his reply to the baffled looks he received.

"What's the meaning of this, Nijimura-san? Do you know this peculiar individual present here with us?" Akashi demanded. To think this individual could escape even his famed '_emperor eye_'; a unique gift received by an exceptional member of the Akashi household after ever three centuries, infuriated him greatly.

"The representative is here," said the black-haired man with a knowing look.

That had everyone's attention. Trusting him, they went back to their former positions but with more alertness. A member of _Requiem_ was here and they let the said individual enter into their midst, without them noticing. Just how trained were they to be left unnoticed by even the most skillful people?

"Hello," a soft monotone voice called out just as a small hooded figure resembling a _shinigami _appeared from the only corner were light did not reach, which happened to be on the left side of where Nijimura sat.

Any shrieks of alarm were left disregarded from where it was formed. Every pair of eyes in the room were now solely on the hooded figure. "Pleased to meet you," continued the hooded figure in a polite and calm tone.

Heterochromatic eyes narrowed as its owner observed the enigma before him. Intriguing, he thought. To have a person like this one working for him would be very beneficial, he decided. A small smirk made its way as he licked his lips in amusement. He would for now, forgive the person for infuriating him earlier.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" snarled Aomine, totally perturbed by the abrupt happenings. Today was definitely not his day.

A clap of hands brought everyone's attention to Nijimura. "Did you not hear me earlier, Aomine? This is the representative from_ Requiem_." His tone left no room for further arguments.

Aomine held up his hands in defeat. "What crawled up your ass and died there?" was his brilliant reply to which he received a hard glare.

"Daiki, mind your manners. We have company." Akashi had his attention back to where it initially was. The hooded figure seemed to be in deep scrutiny to its surroundings.

Midorima who had been quiet for most of the time, finally articulated out an, "I believe introductions are in order, _nanodayo_?"

"As you wish," The hooded figure gave a slight bow and introduced itself as '_Kuroko_'.

Nijimura cleared his throat, "well, Kuroko, I'm—"

"Nijimura Shuuzou, Teiko's current head, yes? No introductions required. I've done my research on everyone present in this room." A swift reply came from Kuroko.

Somehow, the tense atmosphere rose to a certain level once more. "I see," Nijimura gave a small nod. "Shall we begin this meeting then? Considering as all vital members are present."

"Before that," Akashi cut in. "I am curious to know something, Kuroko."

"What is it, Akashi-kun?"

He then asked the question which everyone had wanted answers to. "How long have you been with us? Seeing as no one took notice of your presence."

"Since the very beginning," was the blunt reply.

That didn't settle well with the _Kiseki no Sedai_. "How intriguing," Akashi said. "Is this low presence and perfect merging with the shadows, a peculiar trait that comes with being a member of _Requiem_?"

"Only a few possess it," Kuroko replied, cryptically.

"Ara? My whole box of _maibou_ is finished. I'm run out of snacks," announced Murasakibara, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"Eh? Murasakicchi, that was too fast!" Kise exclaimed as he peered into the now empty box.

"What the hell, Murasakibara? That was your fifth box!"

Midorima pushed his glasses up as he turned to the purple-haired man seated beside him. "Murasakibara, your eating habits is very unwholesome, _nanodayo_."

"Atsushi, I believe that is enough _maibou_ for today." Akashi frowned in disapproval.

Murasakibara looked devastated. "But, I'm still hungry," He whined in protest.

"When are you not?" snorted Aomine.

Nijimura sighed for the nth time. "Murasakibara, if you behave well throughout the meeting, I will have the cooks make your favorite dessert later."

"You're spoiling him, Nijimura-san." Akashi stated just as Murasakibara eagerly nodded in reply.

* * *

A box of vanilla chocolate flavored _pocky_, unexpectedly, landed infront of Murasakibara. "Here, you can have mine, Murasakibara-kun," Like a phantom, Kuroko appeared next to him.

"When did you get there?" Kise finally let out the shriek he was holding in.

"I simply walked?" offered Kuroko.

Again, Kuroko's vanishing act was at work. Was there a trick to it? Wait, why was a box of _pocky_ in Kuroko's possession? "Just how low is your presence?" Aomine stood up with his index finger pointed accusingly to the person in question.

"Is that a compliment, Aomine-kun?"

"Like hell it is!" came an exasperated cry as Aomine fell back on his seat, spectacularly.

Murasakibara didn't bother joining the conversation as he immediately lifted the box of _pocky_ he received and began observing it from every angle. It looked so tempting and delicious.

"Its not poisoned, if you're wondering. I wouldn't stoop to such low means." Kuroko said with the now established monotone voice.

Murasakibara looked from the hooded figure and back at Akashi. "Aka-chin?" He said as he waited for Akashi's consent.

"Where are your manners, Atsushi? Daiki's rude habit must be rubbing off on you." The accused person grunted in protest. "I believe, you're supposed to thank the person who shares with you their possessions, hmm?" Akashi said in reply as he gave his consent whilst slightly chiding the childish purple-haired on his conduct.

Murasakibara immediately reached out his rather large hand and patted Kuroko on the head. "Thank you, Kuro-chin. You seem like a nice person." The purple-haired had acknowledged the smaller one's presence because it took guts to approach the childish giant without being intimidated. Moreover, he had received _pocky_ on their very first meeting. Murasakibara was definitely looking forward to their next meetings.

Just as soon as the large hand came in contact with Kuroko's head, it was smacked away. "You're welcome but I would very much appreciate it, if you didn't treat me like a little child, Murasakibara-kun."

"Eh? But Kuro-chin is so smaaaall," said Murasakibara, as he emphasized on the word 'small'.

Before any retort could be made, Nijimura spoke out, "Best get started already. I have a video conference meeting with the _Italian_ branch at one sharp." With that said, everyone settled down including Kuroko who went back to the dim-lighted corner.

"Wouldn't you take a seat as well, Kuroko?" Nijimura offered, politely.

"No, thank you," Kuroko replied back with equal politeness. "I prefer standing over here."

"Very well then," Nijimura said as the proposed meeting between the Teiko head, the _Kiseki no Sedai_ and _Requiem _finally began.

* * *

**Kyoto, Japan.**

**11:26 am.**

Inside a traditional well-furnished Japanese manor, turmoil occurred with the discovery of an unconscious man in his early twenties. He was found in the Master's garden just behind a large _Sakura_ tree, blindfolded and tied up.

"Chihiro-_sama_," a man fully clad in pure black _shinobi_ attire with only his amber eyes visible, called out, respectfully, before entering a dim-lighted room with delicate cherry blossoms paintings scattered on the walls. He walked a few steps before falling on one knee with the fingers on his right hand curled up and pressed to where one's heart is found, and head bowed.

Seated cross-legged on a cushion, a sliver-haired man in a black _yukata_ with a rich plum-colored _haori_, casually draped over his shoulders, turned his attention towards the man who spoke. "What is it, Takeru?" His monotone voice held a tint of coldness.

"We found Yamato knocked out cold in the Master's garden." Takeru said as he looked up.

Chihiro clicked his tongue in annoyance, already knowing who the perpetrator was. "You are dismissed. Also, tell everyone to settle down. There is no need to start an unnecessary commotion just because _he_ is not here." He said and went on to inspect a beautiful designed ivory colored fan which he held by his slender, pale fingers.

"As you wish, Chihiro-_sama_," Takeru bowed once more and left.

"That _baka_," Chihiro muttered to himself as he put down the fan and took out his cell phone. Finding the name he was looking for, he pressed the call button.

A few seconds of ringing, and the phone was answered by a cheerful voice. "Hello, Chii-_chan_! What a pleasant surprise! Did you miss me?"

"Drop that boisterous attitude of yours," Chihiro replied, grimly.

"So mean! I was expecting a sweet '_I miss you_'!"

Chihiro scoffed at that. Why did he bother calling this person again? Oh, right, because of that other _baka_. "Enough chit chat," He said.

"Okay, okay," said the now serious voice from the other end. "What's wrong?"

"Apparently," Chihiro paused for a second. "My beloved _baka_ decided to knock down the representative going to _that_ meeting, and went in his place."

There was a long pause and then, "WHAT?! OH MAN! I BET THE OLD MAN IS BLAMING ME FOR THIS REBELLIOUS STAGE THAT BAKA IS GOING THROUGH! I SHOULD HAVE KEPT QUIET BUT NOOOOO I HAD TO EXAGGERATE MY STORIES ABOUT _THEM_!"

Holding the phone at arm's length, Chihiro replied in his usual monotone voice, "Unfortunately, I'm the only one blaming you."

"NOOOOOO!" wailed the person in anguish. "The moment I get my hands on that _baka_ I will," he started off about all the things he would do to that _person_.

Chihiro let out a deep sigh, "Just bring the _baka_ back home already."

"Roger that, Chii-_chan_!" came the enthusiastic reply and the line went dead.

* * *

_Kiseki no Sedai_ - Generation of Miracles  
_Maibou_ - a type of sweet  
_Ganguro_ - a term used to refer to people with tan skin and bleached hair.  
_Tsundere_ - a term used to refer to people who acts the opposite of what they say. (Eg: Aisaga Taiga of ToraDora)  
_Shinigami_ - Death God  
_Sakura_ - Cherry Blossom  
_Baka_ - Idiot  
_Yukata_ - an informal type of kimono. (I think -.-)  
_Haori_ - A hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket.

* * *

My first KnB fan fiction. I hope it is up to your expectation. Once again, thanks for reading. Drop in a review or something like that. See you in the next chapter. :)


	2. Surprise! Surprise!

**Disclaimer:** I solemnly swear that I do **NOT** own Kuroko no Basuke.

**EDITED:** Change of story name and slight change in the summary.

**Warning:** Slight OOC-ness because the characters need to go with the flow of the story plot. Possible grammar mistakes. Author's stupidity included! Kekeke :D

* * *

**Tokyo, Japan.  
12:26 pm.**

They were done with the formalities of the new alliance. "I would personally, like to welcome Requiem into the Teiko alliance." Nijimura said and stood up to approach Kuroko with the intention of giving a firm handshake.

A pale, slender hand came into view and accepted Nijimura's right hand with a firm shake of its own. "We look forward to your co-operation, Nijimura-san."

The rest followed Nijimura's example and welcomed the new alliance. "I believe it is time for an afternoon tea in the gardens, _nanodayo_." Midorima announced, glancing at his watch.

"Shintarou is right," Akashi nodded in agreement. "Will you join us, Kuroko?"

Kuroko bowed, "Thank you for your consideration, but I do not wish to pry on your time anymore."

"Oh, but I insist," Akashi replied back with a tint of authority in his voice.

"Yes, please do join us, Kuroko," said Nijimura. "We are allies now. No need to fret about intruding our time."

"I'll even share with you this last _pocky _stick, Kuro-chin." Murasakibara offered, much to the amusement of Nijimura and Akashi while the others looked on; totally baffled at the scene before them. "Oh, and the butler is going to bring in delicious strawberry short cake." He added, childishly, as an after thought.

"That is a very tempting offer, Murasakibara-kun. I'm afraid I can't deny it." Kuroko replied with a hidden small smile while the purple-haired hummed in agreement.

"Then, let us proceed to the gardens." Nijimura said and walked out through the open French window, closely followed by the others.

Flowers of different colors, sizes and varieties were seen blossoming beautifully. A large fountain made of marble stood proudly in the middle. Everything was trimmed and kept to perfection.

A large round table covered in a white tablecloth with elegant lace designs stood on an octagonal-shaped gazebo surrounded by white wisterias. A rich spread of delicious treats and Darjeeling tea was laid on a neighboring table with two butlers and two maids stationed on each ends.

* * *

Murasakibara was the first amongst them to take his seat. "Look, Kuro-chin," He called out. "Strawberry short cake," he pointed at said item, looking quite pleased.

Aomine rolled his eyes as everyone else took their seat. However, Kuroko didn't do the same and instead went towards the area where a shadow was cast and just stood there, motionlessly. "Are you seriously going to stand there?" Aomine asked with a slight bewildered look.

"Kuroko-san, you must really like the shadows, ne?" Kise nodded his head. "Even though, it's very disturbing." He muttered to himself.

"Honestly," Midorima let out a sigh. "We are not going to harm you, _nanodayo_."

Murasakibara paused from his eating, "Kuro-chin can sit on my lap."

To which, Aomine and Kise spat out the tea they were sipping, ungracefully. Midorima looked somewhat perturbed. "I don't think that's a good idea, Murasakibara." He stated and pushed his glasses up.

"Eh?" Murasakibara looked on lazily at Midorima and then gestured at Kuroko. "But, Mido-chin, don't you see? Kuro-chin is so small that even the chair must be too high for Kuro-chin to seat on. Poor Kuro-chin~" He drawled, sluggishly.

"What kind of reason is that?!" Kise exclaimed as he wiped his mouth.

Nijimura gave a low chuckle and signaled the butlers and maids to exit. "Murasakibara, that is quite an interesting theory, however, you might have insulted our guest."

"Murasakibara-kun is really like a child." Kuroko stated, bluntly. "I would also really appreciate it, if you didn't always bring up my height into your conversations. And Kise-kun, it's not that I like being in the shadows, I simply cannot find comfort in the presence of light."

"Oh? Is that so? Interesting," Akashi spoke out. "I've never met a person like you."

* * *

Any chance of having a quiet afternoon tea was destroyed by a loud voice. From the open French window, a man of average height in his early twenties with orange hair came running out. "OH, HAVING TEA, ARE WE? HOW NICE!" He shouted with full of sarcasm.

"_Ogiwara Shigehiro_," Akashi spoke with venom dripping in his voice. "You better have a good reason for interrupting us."

Ogiwara stilled for a moment. He had somewhat forgotten that the Red Emperor would be there. So much for my dramatic entry, he thought, wryly.

"Good reason, sir!" He stumbled out the words quickly and then turned his attention towards Kuroko. "YOU!" He pointed, accusingly.

Nijimura frowned at his actions. "Show some respect to our guest, Ogiwara."

"That's not the point!" Ogiwara cried out, exasperated. "You got the wrong representative!"

Every pair of eyes landed on Kuroko. "If what you say is true," Akashi said, coldly. "Then, who was supposed to be the representative? And while we are at it, how do you know who it was supposed to be, hmmm? I am very sure no one knew of this private meeting except for Nijimura-san and me."

Instantly, Ogiwara looked like a deer caught in headlights. "That—because," he turned all flustered and spoke incoherently.

"The chosen representative couldn't make it due to certain circumstances so I came in his place." Kuroko stated, calmly. "Seeing as no one else was free."

"NO THANKS TO YOU!" Ogiwara exclaimed whilst miraculously finding his voice back.

Things were getting interesting. How did Ogiwara Shigehiro, personal secretary to Nijimura, know a member of Requiem?

Kuroko huffed in annoyance. "Please do not accuse me without any evidence."

"WHO NEEDS EVIDENCE?" Ogiwara's voice went a pitch higher. "YAMATO WAS KNOCKED DOWN, BLINDFOLDED AND TIED UP! AND EVERYTHING SCREAMS YOUR HANDY WORK!" Ogiwara was literally exhausted from all the shouting he was doing.

"That was an unfortunate event for which I apologize, sincerely." Kuroko responded back, monotonously.

"YOU DON'T SOUND SINCERE AT ALL, BAKA!" Ogiwara approached Kuroko and hand-chopped Kuroko's head. "Chii-chan called me. Do you know how scary that was? He sounded like he wanted to murder me in broad daylight when I didn't do a thing!" He hissed.

"_Ittai_. That hurts, Shige-kun." Kuroko deadpanned. "Are you sure he wanted to murder you?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" He growled but there was a tint of playfulness in his voice. "You better make it up to me for going through all this trouble."

"You do realize we are still in the presence of company." Kuroko said, bluntly.

* * *

"Oh, shit!" Ogiwara smacked his forehead. He was so caught up arguing with Kuroko that he had forgotten.

"Thank you for finally acknowledging our presence." Akashi spoke, sardonically.

"Ogiwara, you have a lot of explanation to do." Nijimura spoke with a firm tone.

"Uh," Ogiwara replied back, unintelligently.

Kuroko decided that afternoon tea with Teiko's head and the Kiseki no Sedai will have to be arranged on a later date. "Well, then, I better take my leave."

"Not so fast, Kuroko," Akashi interrupted.

"Akashi-kun?"

"You have a lot of explanation to do as well."

"I will leave that up to Shige-kun. He knows almost everything."

"_Himegimi_! You traitor!"

Everyone sans Kuroko, Akashi and Ogiwara froze. "_Himegimi_?" Aomine repeated. Did he hear him right?

They all stared hard at Kuroko. "Ehhh?! Kuroko-san is a GIRL?" Kise jumped up and pointed at Kuroko, looking quite baffled.

"No wonder, Kuro-chin is small." Murasakibara nodded to himself.

"Ogiwara Shigehiro," Kuroko's now cold voice called out. A _kunai_ appeared out of nowhere, which flew past Ogiwara and missed grazing his cheek by a few inches.

"Shit!" Ogiwara cried out and put his hands up and waved about, wildly. "_Gomen_! _Gomen_!"

Akashi was very much amused. Requiem's representative had been a girl all along; a small, fragile one. His suspicions from earlier was now confirmed. Ogiwara had also called her '_himegimi_', which must mean that Kuroko was a higher up within _Requiem_. He was pleased at this discovery. A very useful prey he had found, after all.

Aomine and Kise were the only ones who didn't take it too well. They had thought all along that Kuroko was a soft-spoken, young boy and left it at that. They blamed the hood Kuroko was wearing for their blunder. Yeah, it was the _hood's fault_.

Kuroko was annoyed. With all the stares, getting pointed at and her identity now revealed, she didn't feel like staying any longer. Ogiwara was getting it good from her, later. Taking in a small breath, she approached Nijimura and placed a white envelope sealed with a wax seal, infront of him. "An invitation," Kuroko said when she received a questioning look. "You are welcomed to bring along the _Kiseki no Sedai_. It is a private party. The address and date is written inside. It would be best if only the six of you came in secrecy. We look forward to your presence." Cue a small bow. "_He _actually desires to meet all of you." She added.

"He?" Nijimura asked.

"You'll know soon." Kuroko answered back.

* * *

Glancing at Ogiwara, a little revenge formed inside her head. "Shige-kun," she called out to the stiff person. He looked at her with hopeful eyes. "You were right about the _Kiseki no Sedai_."

"Ehhh?" He looked confused.

The others looked on curiously. "They really do resemble the characters of _Alice in Wonderland_." There was a trace of amusement in her soft voice as she approached Ogiwara and patted his cheek. "Good luck," she whispered. "I will see myself back to Kyoto."

Taking a step back and with graceful strides, she walked into the comfort of the shadows that the trees in the garden gave out. "Until next time," she bowed once more—to everyone present infront of her—and disappeared.

Ogiwara knew he was set up. By his childhood friend no less! Her revenge, this was her revenge and it was all because of his superb mouth. He was very sure he had never said the _Kiseki no Sedai_ resembled the characters of _Alice in Wonderland_! Did he?

Well, back to the matter in hand, he was now staring into those infamous heterochromatic eyes which narrowed more than he wished it had. Was this fate's way of getting back at him for all the pranks he pulled on his friends?

A sadistic smirk was now visible. Ogiwara really wished to have the Earth swallow him whole, right there and then. "You were saying?" He asked, carefully.

"I think we'll be having a nice long chat in the study, wouldn't we?"

Yep, Ogiwara's life was officially screwed. And to think, he had yet to write his will.

"Ara? Kuro-chin didn't taste the strawberry shortcake."

And Murasakibara had the final say in the messed up situation. Leaving Ogiwara wanting nothing more then to shave his head bald and go on a journey to find enlightenment.

* * *

**Kyoto, Japan.  
18:07 pm.**

Kuroko hummed a lullaby she knew so well as a child, whilst disposing off her hood into the hands of a maid, who had greeted her on her arrival. Today had been an eventful one, she thought as she went back to her room and changed from her black attire to a simple pale blue _kimono _ with her powdery sky-blue hair falling freely to her shoulder; emotionless blue eyes stared up to the night sky through the now opened exterior wall.

Her wish of meeting the _Kiseki no Sedai_ had finally come true. They all had entertaining personalities but there was something about the Red Emperor that caught her interest the most.

He was so mystifying that she couldn't help but want to reach out and find the answers that were buried deep inside him. Proud, confident and regal were the only words that she could think of, to describe Akashi. He was a puzzle which could not be solved easily; a puzzle which she wanted to solve in the near future.

"Tetsumi," a voice with traces of anger and relief, called out to Kuroko. "How long are you going to stand out there? Come in already."

So caught up with her musings, she didn't realize that she had approached the room at the end of the long corridor. "_Hai_," she answered back and mentally prepared herself for what awaited her on the other side of the _shoji_ screen.

Upon entering the room and with swift, elegant movement, she calmly approached the silver-haired man seated on a cushion with a faded brown hardcover book by his side. "You're late," he stated, coldly.

Taking a seat beside him, she lowered her head in respect. "_Gomenasai, nii-san_."

Chihiro observed her. "What were you thinking?"

"I apologize, I was simply curious."

He didn't ask anymore questions and went back to reading. Kuroko Tetsumi had a blank look on her face as she scanned the dim-lighted room without much thought.

Mayuzumi Chihiro was his real name; a man born with an aloof personality. He didn't speak much; to the point where he would simply ignore your presence if you turn out to be nothing but an eyesore to him and if anything, his thoughts could turn out to be rather dangerous. The only ones who he ever communicated with apart from Kuroko were her parents, Ogiwara Shigehiro—more like he forced himself to, taking into account that they were childhood friends of sorts—and those who served him.

He was adopted into the Kuroko household, at the mere age of four. One could say he was a natural assassin of the highest caliber. He was very straight-forward with his words and didn't think twice about hurting someone's sentiments. Just like Kuroko, he too, had emotionless eyes; making it more hard for anyone to predict his next moves. What he hated the most was when someone looked down on him.

"Were they as interesting as Shigehiro described them to be?"

"Very much," Kuroko replied. "You'll be meeting them soon."

"Oh? Did he invite them?"

"_Hai_," She gave him a small nod.

His pale fingers skillfully marked the page were he stopped reading and closed the book. "If they could gain your attention then I would very much like to meet them, personally."

Kuroko gave a small smile. "I'm very sure you would ignore some of them."

"If they turn out to be boisterous like Shigehiro then, yes, I would," was his blunt reply.

"And yet, you still communicate with Shige-kun," Kuroko's voice was laced with amusement.

Chihiro slowly laid his head on Kuroko's lap and adjusted himself to a comfortable position. "Speaking of Shigehiro," He paused when howls from the creatures of the nearby forest pierced into the quiet atmosphere. "He called me earlier, saying you betrayed him and left to come home, alone." He continued.

Slender fingers stroked the strands of silver hair. "That was entirely his fault."

"I'm not surprised at that." He muttered.

"Are they coming back tomorrow?"

"At around noon," He replied and got a soft hum as a response.

* * *

**Kyoto, Japan.  
00:25 am.**

A man shadily dressed with bleached hair and piercings, stood outside a large warehouse with cans of spray paints and a black duffle bag in hand. He smirked to himself in satisfaction at a job well done and whistled as he got into his old, battered-looking car and drove off.

In the hours to come, anyone who passed the warehouse would find a dead body of a male with torn clothes, smeared in blood and pinned to the wall. Behind the cadaver, in bold letters and skillfully decorated in red; like an exotic graffiti, were the words: DEATH TO THE BLOODY RED EMPEROR! DEATH TO TEIKO!

* * *

_Ittai_: a Japanese expression for the word 'Ouch'.

_Himegimi_: 'Princess' in an old, respectful manner.

_Kunai_: a metal leaf-shaped blade and a handle with a ring on the pommel for attaching rope, mostly used by a shinobi.

_Gomen/Gomenasai_: Sorry

_Kiseki no Sedai_: Generation of Miracles

_Hai_: Yes

_Shoji screen_: Paper screens found in the interiors of a Japanese house, which is movable.

_Nii-san_: Elder brother

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

"_How were the Kiseki no Sedai? Were they prospective husband material for you? Well?"_

"_Please don't talk about my so-called marriage. It's very disturbing."_

"_Dai-chan! Are you even listening to me? Hey!"_

"_That man scares the shit out of me. He's like a harbinger of death."_

"_You wouldn't happen to be stalking me, right?"_

"_Maybe, I'm not sure myself."_

**Next Chapter Update: 5-6 days, probably.  
**

* * *

**Random Question:**

**1. Who is your OTP in KnB?**

**-**Mine is obviously AkaKuro

**2. Who is your favorite seiyuu (voice actor)?**

**-**Omg! Mine is definitely, Kamiya Hiroshi! That voice! * A *

* * *

**Thank you for the favs, follows and reviews! Very much appreciated! I hope you like this chapter as well. See you in the next chapter! Did anyone notice that in the first chapter I never revealed Kuroko's gender? Fufufu. Anyways, this is an AkaKuro fic. Why? Because its my OTP! **

**Also, Rika Tone-san, thank you very much for your long review. You made me so happy. I'm not sure if MayuKuro will be possible but I'll try my best. I hope you liked the little MayuKuro moment in this chap, ha-ha! (Even though it was a failed attempt. OTL) Cheers!**


	3. Nightfall Glance

**Disclaimer:** Kuroko no Basuke will forever belong to Fujimaki-sensei!

**Warning:** Slight OOC-ness, maybe? Aomine's colorful words and possible grammar mistakes. Lastly, female Kuroko FTW (since someone was kind enough to tell me to be more specific), this is an AkaxfemKuro fic.

* * *

_To: Akashi Seijuurou_

_From: Mibuchi Reo_

_Subject: Update on warehouse 04 incident_

_Sei-chan,_

_The body has been taken care of. Kotarou and Eikichi are covering up the incident before the media gets a word of it._

_The deceased was an employee of our corporation. No family ties. He has been living alone for a while now. Will update you again later with our progress._

_Have a nice day!_

Impudent fools never learned their lessons, it was only near-death experiences that awoken their fear and common sense.

The crimson-haired man had granted himself with four mere hours of rest before the unwanted threat disrupted the entire schedule planned out for the day.

His phone rang and with precise movement of his right hand, he received it. "Akashi Seijuurou, speaking."

"Akashi," a rather disgruntled voice of Nijimura responded back.

"Nijimura-san, I take it you have been informed about the new threat?"

"Yes," He let out a scoff. "I was given detailed images as well. Whoever did that impressive artwork must really worship you."

"Is that jealousy and sarcasm coming from you?" Akashi replied with amusement.

"Very funny," Nijimura pinched the bridge of his nose. "Have the matter investigated ASAP. Best get rid of these pesky flies."

Heterochromatic eyes drifted towards the wall clock. He had about five more hours to go before leaving for his headquarters in Kyoto. "Very well," he said and ended the call.

_To: Midorima Shintarou, Kise Ryouta, Aomine Daiki, Murasakibara Atsushi_

_From: Akashi Seijuurou_

_Subject: (None)_

_Shintarou and Atsushi are on stand by. Daiki and Ryouta will further look into the perpetrator's information and which organization he belongs to. I will be headed back to Kyoto._

Upon receiving positive responses from the other four, he sat infront of his study desk with a shogi board rested atop of it and with ease, moved a piece with the word 'pawn'.

* * *

"Tetsumi!" a fair woman with the same hair color as Kuroko but slightly longer, rushed to hug her. "I heard about your adventures! Tell me all about it!"

"_Hahaue_, welcome back," was Kuroko's muffled reply.

Kuroko Akihito came to his daughter's rescue. "Mizuki, our daughter will not live to see the next sunrise with that death grip of yours." He was a good-looking man in his late thirties with a blunt personality; something his daughter seemed to have inherited as well.

Compared to her husband and daughter, Kuroko Mizuki had a cheerful and friendly personality despite her low presence. The only thing that her daughter seemed to inherit from her was their somewhat similar appearance and her low presence.

"Aw, you both are no fun!" She said as she released her hold on her daughter.

"Welcome back, Akihito-san, Mizuki-san. I take it you had a good trip." Chihiro's smooth, monotonous voice broke into the impromptu family reunion.

"Chihiro! Italy was boring." Mizuki complained, half-heartedly. "I was left behind with this lady who wouldn't stop flaunting her riches while Akihito got to hang out with his dear old friend."

"But you said you wanted to be in the company of young, vibrant women and not boring old men." Akihito was prompt enough to voice out his reason.

Mizuki let out a huff and walked ahead. "_Chichiue_," Kuroko nodded to her father. "I've passed on your invitation to Teiko."

"So I've heard, thank you both for your hard work."

"Teiko received a threat early this morning, well, more likely it was addressed to the Red Emperor." Chihiro spoke as they headed to the main hall.

"I presume they have already covered up the incident?"

"Yes, they left no traces behind." Comfortable silence ensued.

They entered the main hall where lunch was been served. "Tetsumi, sit beside me." Mizuki patted the seat next to her.

"_Hahaue_," Kuroko paused as she took her seat and observed her mother. "You seem to be in a rather good mood."

Mizuki gave her a bright smile. "Well? Are you going to make me wait?"

Kuroko tilted her head slightly in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Honestly, Tetsumi," Mizuki sighed. "How were the _Kiseki no Sedai_? Were they prospective husband material for you? Well?"

Kuroko had to let that information sink further in. "_Hahaue_, I am only nineteen."

"So?" Mizuki replied back. "Your marriage will arrive sooner than you think. And I would very much love to see my future adorable grandkids before I reach my late forties."

Kuroko wore a slightly horrified expression. "Please don't talk about my so-called marriage. It's very disturbing."

Mizuki pouted, sulkily. "You should try to act more like any normal girl your age. I heard the Kiseki no Sedai were very good-looking, young men with high IQs. One of them should become your knight in shining armor!" Out of excitement, the chopsticks she held flew across the room.

Akihito's charcoal black eyes flickered with amusement as his daughter gave her mother a cautious look. "Mizuki, it would seem Tetsumi is at present against your ideas. Let us discuss this topic when the time is right, yes?"

"Fine, fine," Mizuki waved the topic off, frivolously. "Even Chihiro needs a bride." She muttered which was regrettably heard by everyone present.

Said person let out a minuscule cough. "Thank you for your concern, Mizuki-san. But I am in no hurry to get myself a bride."

All the while, Mizuki asked herself why she even bothered to communicate with a family where everyone seemed to be born with a blunt personality.

* * *

Aomine Daiki was in a murderous mood. He had been sleeping peacefully until he was rudely woken up to the high-pitched voice of his childhood friend and personal secretary, Momoi Satsuki. Honestly, that woman was a crazy one!

She even had the guts to pour ice-cold water all over his body at four in the fucking morning when the fucking sun had yet to rise! What the hell is wrong with her? Crazy woman! He will definitely ask Midorima to recommend a magnificent mental asylum for her.

"Dai-chan! Are you even listening to me? Hey!" Momoi huffed in annoyance. Where was a baseball bat when she needed one?

"Ah?" He gave her what was his predictable rude reply.

"AHOMINE!" She retorted back. Why did she even bother? "Akashi-kun will castrate you for sure and don't expect me to come to your rescue." She folded her arms and stuck her tongue out.

Momoi Satsuki was a beautiful woman with lustrous, long pink hair and a figure that any girl would die to have. People often mistook her as a bubbly airhead beauty which unfortunately, always turns out to be their last regret. As beautiful as she might be, she was deadly and a pure genius when it came to gathering information within seconds flat.

She had a cheerful personality and seemed to get along just fine with the Kiseki no Sedai. Momoi was also the only one apart from Akashi and Nijimura who could handle Aomine. He was like a wild beast and she did her best to make sure he did not lose control and go on a rampage.

He gave out a tired yawn and cursed, incoherently. "Where is Kise? That bastard must still be staring at his reflection in the mirror."

Momoi rolled her eyes. "Unlike a certain lazy _baka_, Ki-chan is already looking into the whereabouts of the perpetrator."

Right, now that he thought about it, his day was ruined all because of some idiotic bastard who decided to go against Teiko. Once he found out who was behind it, his wrath will be given to said idiots.

"Let's go, Satsuki." He grabbed his car keys and phone which lay on his bedside table. "We have a bastard—who ruined my sleep— to hunt down."

* * *

Kuroko entered the training grounds hidden deep within the forest, just as twilight set in. Just two more days and she would see them again. Excitement stirred inside of her.

"Tetsumi, you seem to let your guard down a lot, ever since you came back from Tokyo. Perhaps meeting the Kiseki no Sedai was a bad idea." Chihiro's monotonous voice cut through the training grounds.

Kuroko turned, abruptly. "Nii-san, are you here to train?" He hit the jackpot leaving her no option but to change the topic.

"I take that as a yes, then." He slowly approached her like a predator after his prey and stood within a few distance away from her. "You shouldn't expect so much from them. They're different from us."

She lowered her gaze. "I know."

"Catch," Chihiro threw a _katana_ which she caught in surprise.

Before she could question what he was doing, Chihiro drew out another _katana_ and immediately attacked her.

The moon's pale light shone on the two lone figures. Sparks flew as sliver clashed against each other. If they had an audience, they would have been left in awe as the two seemed to execute their movements, flawlessly; to the point where they looked like exotic dancers bathed in an almost ethereal glow.

"Never show your weakness, Tetsumi," was the first thing Chihiro said as soon as their spar was over, with him coming out as the victor.

She panted and dropped the _katana_ to the ground. Her lack of stamina was always a problem. She wasn't even surprised that she lost. The outcome was decided the moment he had attacked her.

He left shortly after. Kuroko could never understand what his actions meant or what he was thinking. Chihiro always spoke in a warped manner and she constantly had a hard time deciphering the meaning behind his words.

After regaining a few of her lost stamina, she dusted the dirt off her training attire and headed towards a nearby _onsen_, which was owned by a distant relative of hers.

* * *

As she immersed herself in the empty outdoor pool of the _onsen_, she heard voices from the other side; which happened to be the male compartment. They sounded like _Yakuza_ members.

"I heard the Red Emperor has come back to Kyoto." A rough voice spoke.

"I know," his companion replied.

"That man scares the shit out of me. He's like a harbinger of death."

"Right? Tanaka met him once and he has had nightmares ever since then."

"Poor man, he must have looked into that cursed eye."

She heard a slight movement; something like a pat on the back. "Well, one thing is for sure, the _Kiseki no Sedai_ are inhuman monsters. Best stay out of their way."

* * *

It happened all too fast. Her mind went blank and the next thing she knew, she had brought herself to where Akashi was currently staying.

She sighed in frustration. '_What have I gotten myself into now?_' She chided to herself and with a graceful leap, she entered a dark room where a high window was left open. Taking a quick scan around the room and with the help of the moonlight penetrating through, she realized that she was in a library; a very large one.

Her fingers lightly traced the books present infront of her. This had to be Akashi's private library, she thought. Kuroko happened to be an avid reader and finding a huge collection of books delighted her to a great extent. '_Will_ _I be able to borrow some of these books, I wonder?_'

"Oh? An interesting intruder has appeared." A sharp, velvety voice called out.

She knew who it was without having to turn. Chihiro was right. She was letting her guard down easily.

* * *

Akashi had been heading towards the master bedroom after a tiresome day when he decided that he would spare some time in his private library. Who knew he would find an intruder inside?

The intruder was dressed in black attire and had its back towards him. There was something familiar about the intruder and he knew why. "Kuroko, we meet again."

Her body went rigid for a few seconds before it went into a calm state. "Good evening, Akashi-kun."

Strands of powdery sky-blue hair danced to a soft, unheard tune as a gentle breeze passed by through the open window. He stayed rooted in place and examined her, quietly. "You wouldn't happen to be stalking me, right?"

"I happen to have overheard that you were in Kyoto and decided to drop by."

"Is that so? And breaking into my library was your way of dropping by and greeting me? "

"The window was open so I invited myself in."

Akashi hummed in reply. "Do you like books, Kuroko?" He asked, while selecting a book from the shelf nearest to him.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do."

Solving the mystery of Akashi was to be postponed to a much, much later date.

"I'm sorry for intruding, Akashi-kun."

"It's fine,"

"I will see myself out then."

Heterochromatic eyes laid its gaze on the petite figure before him. "Do you fear me?"

"Maybe, I'm not sure myself."

The answers he usually received were either a quick yes or sometimes a scared no. Hearing Kuroko's quite unique reply pleased him for some reason. "Oh?" He flipped the pages of the book he held, casually. "There is something about you that fascinates me."

"I find Akashi-kun very fascinating as well."

He gave out a somewhat eerie chuckle. "I look forward to your company again, Kuroko."

She now stood on the windowsill and made a small turn to face him; giving him a quick glimpse of luminous cerulean eyes. "Until we meet again, Akashi-kun," She nodded to him. "Take care," were her departing words before she leaped into the shadows.

He watched the phantom disappear and looked up into the starry night sky whilst thinking back to Ogiwara Shigehiro's vague answers from yesterday, which was still freshly imprinted into his memory. He needed more detailed ones and who could provide the best than the person in question? Akashi smirked to himself, "Until we meet again, Kuroko."

* * *

"Dai-chan, you have really done it now." Momoi let out a huff.

Kise followed her shortly with a whine of '_Aominecchi_'.

They were at a cheap-looking motel on the outskirts of Tokyo; a place where gangsters usually hung out. Inside one of the rooms, a ragged drunk man sat on the floor—ready to pass out anytime—bearing multiple injuries, courtesy of the great Aomine Daiki.

"Shut up," Aomine growled in reply. Stupid, useless drunkard had dared to puke on his shoes when he was questioning him.

"We should head back," Momoi declared, wanting nothing more than to get out of the foul-smelling room. '_Hot shower, hot shower_,' she repeated over and over inside her head.

With an eager nod towards Momoi's direction, Kise patted Aomine on the back. "Let's go, Aominecchi! We have atleast found some hints, so leave the poor man alone. I'll buy you a new pair of shoes too!"

He received a contemptuous look in reply. "I don't want your shoes. You'll probably get me those flashy ones."

"So mean~ I'm being nice here, you know?"

"Whatever," Aomine gave a gruff respond, smacking the drunkard's head one last time, before exiting the room.

"Sheessh! That temper of his is still so horrible!" exclaimed the blond-haired man to his pink-haired companion as they both followed the tan-skinned man.

"Welcome to my world," Momoi had exhaustion written all over her face.

* * *

_Chichiue/Hahaue: a reverent term for "father" and "mother" respectively._

_Kiseki no Sedai: Generation of Miracles_

_Katana: It is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a single curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands._

_Onsen: A term for hot springs, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs._

* * *

**Note: Kuroko's parents were created based on how Fujimaki-sensei hinted them to be like. You know? Kuroko having the same personality as the father, and the looks plus low presence from the mother. **

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

"_MY EYES, MY EYES,"_

"_Yes, now please stop repeating like a parrot."_

"_. . . I do not even wish to know what's going on inside Akashi-san's mind at the moment."_

"_And you think you don't have a twisted sense of humor?!_"

"_Stalker alert."_

"_OI! WAIT UP! SHIN-CHAN!"_

**Next Chapter Update: **6-7 days give or take.

* * *

**Random Question:**

**Who would you like to see as a potential love rival?**

* * *

I hope you like this chapter. I've been drifting around and currently, have this rough outline of what chapter four would be like—inside my mind.

Chapter 3 had to be edited over and over until I was satisfied (still unsatisfied, though). Trying my best to keep everyone in character—and that is HARD WORK! My imagination takes off and I have to smack them down to make sure OOC doesn't occur much. Kekeke.

Anyways, thanks for the favs, follows and reviews! I LOVE YOU (in a friendly way xD)

**Here are my replies to some of your questions:**

**Killua17-san:** Yep, Tetsuya is Tetsumi here.  
**angelg0722-san:** MidoTaka? I ship them! But I don't know if it will be possible here. I'm focusing mainly on Akashi and Kuroko moments with addition of rivals. Sorryyy OTL  
**EclipseKuran-san:** Thanks! I will keep it in mind.  
**kh07gl-san:** Seriously? Omg, high five to you! xD  
**rea-san:** Even my lil sis wants that. Erm, Kagami-kun will appear soon so you'll have to wait and see ne?

* * *

**See you all next chapter!**


	4. Unknown

**Disclaimer:** -checks empty wallet- No money, no ownership. Fujimaki-sensei owns Kuroko no Basuke because he is the man!

**Warning:** Rated M because of assassins and their beautiful artworks. Blood, not much but BLOOD takes the spotlight. Making use of that colorful word.  
Once again, female Kuroko FTW!

* * *

A lone, hooded figure observed its prey stagger towards the narrow alley. The prey was a man with bleached hair, piercings—the very same man that Teiko was searching for—and a first-class scoundrel.

'_Should I send his heart as a gift to the Red Emperor?_' The figure mused as it approached its prey, cheerfully.

The prey felt uneasy, "What do you want?" he snarled on realizing that he was not alone.

The predator inquired in an overly happy manner, "Ne, would your heart be a possible priceless gift to the Red Emperor, I wonder?"

"He sent you?" A hasty turn was made to face his enemy; taking a step back, he at once produced a revolver. "Fuck! They told me I won't be found."

"Oya, oya," the predator held up its hands, revealing the fact that it had _tekko-kagi_ as its weapon. "I don't work for the Red Emperor or Teiko. I am but a simple observer and you are nothing but a useless eyesore standing in my way."

Before the first shot was released, the predator had already struck down the now fallen prey with a swift slash. "MY EYES, MY EYES," the prey screamed in agony and had both his hands covering his current bleeding eyes.

"_Cross my heart and hope to die._" The predator sang with glee. "_If I lie, may thousand needles poke my eyes?_"

"I WILL KILL YOU, FUCKING SADIST!"

A condescending laughter broke out from the lips of the predator. "Can you see me? Oh wait! I just made you blind, didn't I?" It wrapped its arms around the waist as its whole body vibrated with laughter; droplets of its prey's blood dripped from the weapon used earlier.

The fallen prey passed out soon after, from the excessive loss of blood. "Your heart is not worth it, after all. So impure and rotten to the core," it sighed in fake grief.

Once the prey was tied up with strings that seem to pierce deep into the skin, the body was left next to the dumpster. With the prey's cell phone, the predator typed down a simple message and sent it to a number it knew by heart:

_Your wanted man is lying next to a dumpster. This is my gift to you._

_Track down this number and collect him soon, before he really dies._

Content with everything going as planned, the predator threw the phone back to its owner and left with no evidence that it had been there.

* * *

Tetsumi woke up with a start. Those haunting heterochromatic eyes of ruby and gold took over her sleep and had refused to leave her.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, blearily. It was five minutes to six in the morning. Late, the word popped up instantly, and she realized that she was indeed late for her promised training session with Ogiwara.

With a quick wash-up and change of clothes, she rushed to the meeting spot . . . only to find her childhood friend wolfing down a cup of instant noodles like no tomorrow.

"Shige-kun, you still have dreadful eating habits."

So startled by her sudden appearance, he choked on his quick breakfast and started banging his chest, comically. "Damn it, Tet-chan. Can't you appear normally for once? Sheessh!"

"Now, you use that name? What happened to '_himegimi_'?" Her poor imitation of his voice when he called her '_himegimi_' had him rolling on the dusty ground, laughing.

"Seriously, Tet-chan? That deadpan expression and monotone voice of yours is a sure winner!"

She crossed her arms and gave him what she thought was her best glare. "I am not amused at all."

"Aw," He stood up and dusted his clothes. "You're still mad about what happened?"

"No, I got my revenge."

He nodded. "Ye—WAIT A MINUTE! YES! YOU! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TROUBLE I GOT INTO?"

It was now Kuroko's turn to shine. Her eyes showed small traces of amusement. "It was your fault to begin with."

"Hey," Ogiwara held his hands up, defensively. "It was out of habit, you know? I always call you '_himegimi_' when we aren't alone or with the family, remember?"

"Is that so?" she replied, nonchalantly.

He scratched the back of his head and let out a yawn. "Why are you late, anyways?"

"I happened to have overslept."

He looked at her, curiosity leaking out from his expression. "You overslept? YOU, Kuroko Tetsumi, overslept?"

"Yes, now please stop repeating like a parrot."

But Ogiwara, being Ogiwara paid no heed to her words and burst out laughing once more. "Shit, this is too good! What next? You went bungee-jumping?"

Kuroko let out a huff. "I'm leaving at once, if you continue with that ridiculous act of yours."

"Wow," he grinned at her. "Somebody really did wake up on the wrong side of the _futon_ today."

"Let's start train—"

She was cut off by a loud ringtone coming from Ogiwara's open backpack; with most of the contents already spilling out to the ground—things which you don't usually carry with you for training sessions. He immediately reached out for his phone and received it. "_Buongiorno, signore!_" He answered cheerfully, in Italian.

His cheerful nature was soon replaced by a surprise one. "_Santo cielo! Da quando?_"

"Okay, okay, I will stop conversing in Italian!"

"_Quanto tempo?_" Knowing Ogiwara's nature, she was not surprise that he dismissed his previous statement and switched back to Italian, within seconds flat.

"_Sì, sì, capisco. Arrivederci,_" he ended the call, looking like half of his life already ended.

"Italian was never your forte." Kuroko stated, bluntly. "Good to know you have overcome it."

He smacked his face in reply. "I am wanted back in Tokyo."

"What happened?"

"You know of the incident at warehouse 04, right? The perpetrator was found."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yes," He let out a sigh. "But he was found in a dumpster, Tet-chan. His eyes were badly damaged and apparently, the victim is now in a seriously induced coma state. Doctors aren't sure if he will ever recover."

"An assassin's work, I take it?"

He nodded. "But the assassin was not a part of Teiko. Just last night, Kise and Aomine had received hints and were to execute actions by today, that is, until Nijimura-san received a message from the assassin; who used the victim's phone to contact him. Man, the cool and calm Nijimura-san sounded so pissed off. I do not even wish to know what's going on inside Akashi-san's mind at the moment." An involuntary shiver shook his whole body.

"Then, we will postpone our training for another time. Have a safe trip."

He lifted his belongings from the ground and flashed her, a grateful smile. "Thanks! See you later," and took off in a mad dash.

'_Shige-kun forgot to take his litter with him._' She frowned at the harmless, half-eaten cup of noodles and grabbed it to have it thrown away, once she reached back home.

* * *

An unbearable silence engulfed the entire conference hall. Five ferocious beasts sat with impassive expressions. They all seemed too composed, like they knew who they would torment; their wary assistants stood by their side, awaiting the outcome because this was certainly what every human calls—the calm before a raging storm.

After what seemed like centuries, Nijimura entered the room followed by Ogiwara who held a white iPad. "Thank you all for coming." The black-haired man said and took his seat.

"Nijimura-san," Akashi was the first to acknowledge him.

Ogiwara silently stood next to his superior and scrutinized the occupants in the room; his attention going back to the person who was beside him. "Unfortunately, as you all were informed, our only source to the real mastermind behind warehouse 04 incident is now on the brink of life and death. This is a major setback to our plans to fish out the enemy's true objective. And judging from the way the victim was neatly taken care of, I must say the assassin is a talented one."

"Why did this assassin not finish off its victim? Why bother informing us, _nanodayo_?"

"The assassin's actions are quite bothersome and I have a feeling that it is not on anyone's side. Must have most likely acted on its free will," Akashi commented, nonchalantly.

"That's a possibility," Nijimura answered with a thoughtful expression. "However, what annoys me greatly is the fact that it got its hands on my private number."

Aomine coughed out a, "Stalker alert." Only to be smacked on the head by Momoi.

"But surely, the assassin must have some interior motives behind its actions, ne~?" Kise stated. "If it's not on anyone's side, why take the trouble to hunt down our wanted man?"

Akashi's expression morphed into a sadistic one. "The fool is probably toying with us. For all I know, it's merely monitoring our movements and then putting in its own twisted sense of humor."

'_And you think you don't have a twisted sense of humor?!_' Half of the occupants thought simultaneously.

Nijimura had a calculating look to his face. "Then since, both sides are not going to gain anything as of yet, let's play along for now, shall we? The results could be fruitful."

"Excellent choice, Nijimura-san," The Red Emperor gave his seal of approval, which could only mean that each person in the room had to go with the plan.

"Everyone do your best."

* * *

"Shin-chan," a dark-haired man bounded towards said person with a huge grin.

Midorima tightened his grip on his lucky item of the day—a thick book on the history of ancient Japan—and increased his walking pace. "What is it, Takao?"

Takao Kazunari was the personal secretary to Midorima. He could be described as a man with a pretty much laid-back character; who also happens to be the only one within Shutoku to be able to tolerate a certain strict, Oha-Asa devoted green-haired man in glasses.

He had a unique ability called '_Hawk's eye_,' which was very useful in battles. This ability granted the user to have a wide view of the entire range of a battlefield with ease. Takao was also a skilled sniper with excellent combat skills.

"Aw, wid Niwimuwa wand Akawi scawe chu awain?" He cooed; in a way adults talked to little kids.

Midorima came to an abrupt halt. "That was very disturbing, Takao. I advise you to go for a check up soon, _nanodayo_." He turned around to land his sharp gaze on aforementioned person.

"Pfftttt," Takao had one hand covering his mouth while the other he used to desperately clutch to his stomach. His whole body vibrated with poorly hidden laughter.

A miniscule tick-mark appeared on the Oha-Asa devotee as he turned away and treaded towards the empty lift with white marble walls, a blue carpet and a silver handrail.

"OI! WAIT UP! SHIN-CHAN!" Takao sprinted forward hastily, before the doors could close on him.

"You should have used the next one." Midorima snapped at his shorter companion.

Said person clasped his hands together and dramatically said, "Oh, Shin-chan, I could never leave my favorite person in the whole wide world alone!"

"Takao, send in your resignation letter already."

"EHHHHH?" The black-haired man ran around Midorima like a chicken with its head cut off. "Who will look after you then? Who will cook for you? Who will get you your lucky item? Who will drive you around? Who will—"

"Tch, do as you like,"

Midorima received a wink which was followed by, "Shin-chan wuvs me. I heart Shin-chan too!"

With that said; the Oha-Asa devotee for the first time used his lucky item to deliver the final blow.

"Geez, Shin-chan," His victim rubbed the sore area on his head. "Nice way of showing your love."

"Shut up."

"Oh! Oh!" Takao's eyes sparkled with sudden eagerness. "Shin-chan, Shin-chan," he tugged on his boss's sleeve.

With a smack on the unwanted hand tugging at his sleeve, the Oha-Asa devotee glowered at the enthusiastic man, "What now?"

"Let's take a picture!" In a flash, the black-haired man brought out his cell phone.

_Click!_

A picture was produced on screen in an instant. One where Midorima had an astonish look—while having his right arm pulled by his personal secretary, making it look like he was leaning towards said secretary—and Takao had a cheeky grin plastered to his face.

"Takao," a low, serious warning pierced through the air.

"Hmmm?" Takao didn't bother to look up as he was busy typing away on his keypad.

"Delete that picture now."

"Ara?" Amused slivery-blue eyes glanced at the uptight man. "Don't worry, Shin-chan! I only uploaded our picture to my account in _ichigo no himitsu_."

Yes, that was how Takao comforts his boss. "What is that? I've never heard such a ridiculous site before, _nanodayo_!"

With his left hand placed on his hip, Takao wagged his right index finger at Midorima. "Tsk, tsk, Shin-chan, even though it's not a horoscope website, you should know about it! _Ichigo no himitsu_ is the brainchild of Ogiwara!"

A bewildered look formed on spot. "And just what was that idiot thinking?!"

"Ogiwara is a pure genius, Shin-chan!" exclaimed his secretary whilst ignoring his previous question. "_Ichigo no himitsu_ is a top secret community site for all the employees under Teiko and its alliance—oh wait, I meant employees of higher ranking and linked with the underworld—we chat with each other, upload videos and photos of our daily lives. Its like facebook, ya know?"

The lift doors opened on reaching the ground floor. "If that man has time to create such nonsense, he might as well do something to benefit Teiko." With a push of his glasses, he walked out followed by Takao.

"Uwah, we already got likes for our cute picture!" The enthusiastic man didn't bother about the weird looks he was receiving from the people in the lobby and bounced ahead, waving his phone in the air.

Annoyed that Takao didn't bother to inform him what was next on his schedule, Midorima gave out a murderous aura as he quickened his pace to the awaiting car outside.

* * *

"Mido-chin's blood pressure must be very high today." Murasakibara commented to his own personal secretary as he munched on a large pack of potato chips.

Himuro Tatsuya gave a small smile and replied, "Takao-kun must have been the reason."

Droopy violet eyes looked on as he saw Midorima enter the car and slammed the door shut. "Muro-chin, I need more snacks." He declared, pushing away any thoughts on Midorima and Takao.

Murasakibara's personal secretary was a cool, composed young man with a mature personality. He was also good-looking, possessing manners of a gentleman. Like his high ranking colleagues, Himuro was an exceptional combatant with skills that surpassed most of the people other than the _Kiseki no Sedai_.

"We have a meeting with a veteran electronics company from Russia, Atsushi." Himuro reminded him and before a protest could be made by his childish superior, he added, "Akashi-san asked you to make sure everything goes smoothly."

"What a pain~"

"You can have as much as you want later."

"Hai~"

An unlucky passerby bumped into Murasakibara and let out a string of apologies on realizing who it was. The purple-haired didn't even bother about the nuisance and walked on, wanting to complete his job quickly.

* * *

"Akashi," Teiko's boss spoke in a grave tone as he sat on his deep burgundy leather desk chair, inside his personal office. "If things go for the worst, we're bringing in Requiem."

"Yes, they will be very helpful." Akashi agreed as he stared out to the metropolitan life of Tokyo through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"It is indeed an honor to know that we were invited. The invitation mentioned that peculiar place in Kyoto, yes?"

"Ogiwara did state that Requiem originated in Kyoto itself. One of their main bases must be there."

"We will strengthen our ties there and then. We must gain Requiem's utmost trust."

A flicker of incandescent cerulean eyes peered into the Red Emperor's mind. "We will have their trust. I will make sure of it, Nijimura-san. You have my word."

* * *

"Tch, that man is now in the hands of Teiko eh?"

"What are we going to do, boss?"

Their boss wore a dark green _kinagashi_ and sat leisurely, on a raised dais with his back facing them; the smell of tobacco filled the room and a _kiseru_ could be seen on his right hand. "Idiots who can't follow the plan can die for all I care."

"Shall we send someone to finish him off?"

A low, dark chuckle came from the man in the dark green _kinagashi_. "Let him be. Poor man wouldn't survive long. _Besides, he did drink from that vial._" The ending his defective underdog would be given in next to no time spread an iniquitous smile on his lips. "We step down for now and strike back when the time is right. The Red Emperor will die by my hands."

* * *

_Tekko-kagi: Hand claws_

_Buongiorno, signore!: Good Morning, sir!_

_Santo cielo! Da quando?: Good heavens! Since when?_

_Quanto tempo?: What time?_

_Sì, sì, capisco. Arrivederci: Yes, yes, I understand. Goodbye._

_Ichigo no himitsu: Strawberry secrets_

_Kiseki no Sedai: Generation of Miracles_

_Kinagashi: Men's kimono without hakama or haori is known as Kinagashi style. This casual style of wearing kimono and obi is meant for relaxation at home or outside._

_Kiseru: A thin tobacco pipe, frequently used as a symbol of the owner's social standing due to the precious metals encapping the ends of the pipes._

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

**Chapter Title: Run Tiger, Run**

_"Why the rush, Akashi? I wouldn't mind meeting the rest of the Kiseki no Sedai."_

_"BAKAGAMI!"_

_"Akashi-san is something else, huh?"_

_"Ah, this is Kuroko. A friend,"_

_"What are you saying, Kagami-kun? You were my ex—"_

_"You have less than thirteen hours to live. Death must want you very much. Congratulations."_

_"Prejudice might get the best of me, Tetsumi. I will try to keep myself in check."_

_"Tell me, do you know of a sliver-haired man with eyes void of any emotions, from Requiem?"_

**Next Chapter Update: 6-7 days.**

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**Note: I am not fluent in Italian so forgive me; I just typed up what I learned. I also had a lot of fun typing down the interaction between Midorima and Takao. I hope you did too (;**

**Thanks very much for the favs, follows and reviews. Very much appreciated. You guys are so nice! It encourages me to keep going with this story. See YOU next chapter! Arrivederci!**

**EclipseKuran-san, yes, I absolutely agree about the hair. I cried for that. And Omg, InsanityOwl-san, thanks for pointing out my blunder. See, this is how stupid I can get. OTL**


	5. Run Tiger, Run

**Disclaimer: **Fujimaki-sensei rules! I drool (;

**Warning:** Occurrence of OOC at any given moment. Author's crazy ideas.

* * *

When Akashi agreed to meet Seirin Corporation, he certainly had not given his consent to meeting a tall, hot-headed wild tiger with red hair that appeared to have a fondness of striking on his nerves; which were now hanging by a thin thread.

Kagami Taiga was everything that the Red Emperor loathed. One who did not show respect and treated him like they were on equal standings. What was Seirin thinking in sending an incompetent fool to represent them? And let's not forget the small brown-haired man besides the redhead who looked ready to run out of the room at any given moment.

Seirin Corporation was an upcoming wildcard in both business and underworld. Having ties with them was to benefit Teiko hence Akashi was tolerating the redhead's presence.

"Kagami Taiga, yes? You can go back to your superiors and inform that I will arrange a meeting with them as soon as possible." Rakuzan's red emperor got up from his leather desk chair. "Thank you for dropping by. Now if you could excuse me, I have a meeting with my colleagues."

The redhead smirked, "Why the rush, Akashi? I wouldn't mind meeting the rest of the _Kiseki no Sedai_."

"Kag—a—mi," his brown-haired companion, Furihata Kouki stammered.

Akashi's eyes narrowed in reply. "Yes, I'm sure you would like to." With speed rivaling that of light, he grabbed the nearest object which happened to be a dart and flung it towards said redhead.

Kagami was fast but not fast enough to avoid contact. The dart grazed his cheek before it embedded on the dartboard behind him with a perfect bulls-eye.

"Oh," Akashi gave him an irreverent smirk. "In light of that display of grace, I will forgive you just this once. But keep in mind, when I ask you to leave, you _leave_. "

The tall redhead stared back with shock and disbelief. Standing before him, he could not see Akashi Seijuurou, the respectable feared leader of Rakuzan but in its place: a deranged beast.

"In this world, the winners gain everything in their favor. The losers are taken down from history. And since I always win, I am always right. You will show me respect." The beast continued imperturbably.

Not waiting for Kagami to reply, Furihata took the initiative with his newfound guts. "I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Akashi-san!" He bowed a 90 degree. "We will pass on your message to our superiors." Grabbing on to Kagami's arm, he headed out of the suffocating room with no intention of looking back.

* * *

"BAKAGAMI!" Aida Riko—the personal secretary to Seirin's head—yelled into the receiver. "I KNEW YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING STUPID! WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR? WERE YOU TRYING TO DECLARE WAR? DO YOU WANT ALL OF US TO DIE WITH YOU?"

Loudspeaker was not needed to hear her yells. "Ah, sorry," Kagami scratched his head. "I was too caught up with the prospect of meeting the rest of the Kiseki no Sedai." He cleared his throat. "I think," he added as an afterthought.

"YOU THINK? _YOU THINK?_ AH! I GIVE UP! JUST COME BACK ALREADY!" She ordered and the call ended.

Kagami Taiga was a natural prodigy; one who could maybe stand as an equal with the Kiseki no Sedai in the near future, but for now he was just a newbie and still had a lot to learn. Tall with an athletic body, he was a force to reckon.

Maji Burgers was his safe haven; the place he currently was at, gobbling down a dozen of burgers. The meeting with Akashi had left him quite shaken. "Thanks for letting me use your phone," he let the object slide to the other side of the table.

"No problem, Kagami-kun. Are you okay?" Furihata asked worriedly and took a sip of his shake. Even he was left badly shaken.

"I'm fine, just fine," the redhead dismissed the worried inquiry with a wave.

"Akashi-san is something else, huh?"

"You don't say," Kagami stared out of the window next to him.

Another sip of shake, "Kagami-kun always has the habit of getting into trouble. You should be more cautious of your surroundings."

"WHA—KUROKO!" The redhead stood up abruptly, and slammed both his hands on the table. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

Meanwhile, Furihata was busy choking on his shake; following the findings of a petite girl dressed in a pair of dark skinny jeans, a long, beige cardigan sweater with the hood on, seated next to him.

"The vanilla milkshake here is very good," Kuroko answered and took a sip once again.

Kagami coughed awkwardly on realizing the stares he was getting and sat down. "That is NOT what I asked! Why are you in Tokyo?" He hissed.

"Nii-san," she gave him back a cryptic reply.

"Ano, Kagami-kun? Who exactly is she?" Furihata questioned, looking back and forth between his friend and the mysterious girl.

"Ah, this is Kuroko. A friend," he nodded towards said person.

"What are you saying, Kagami-kun? You were my ex—" she paused to observe her drink.

"Ex?" The brown-haired man's eyes turned as wide as it could. _Kagami-kun has an ex?! Ehhh?!_

The redhead was now as red as a fresh ripe tomato. With an accusing finger pointed at Kuroko, he half-shouted. "_Baka_! Don't just pause there! You're giving Furihata the wrong idea!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? I was going to say ex-chaperone and nothing else."

"Then say it before you pause!"

"Oh, sorry—for a moment—I thought I saw my shake sparkle a rainbow color so I stopped talking to observe."

Kagami was left flabbergasted. "What kind of excuse is that?!"

_Chaperone? _"Kuroko-san, what—" He turned to gain a full view of her but was greeted by an empty seat. "EHHH?"

"Tch," Kagami went back to eating. "Forget it, Furihata. That girl is a pro at disappearing. You wouldn't find her now. Once gone means she's gone."

"Bu—but, she—there and gone?" He replied, lost for words.

The redhead shrugged, obviously used to this type of reaction she left behind.

* * *

Teiko had kept their wanted man in a private clinic; situated away from civilization, with tight security. So when, a sliver-haired man with blank eyes—donned in a white lab coat over an immaculate dark suit with a surgical mask put on—entered the place like he owned it, the employees there were left astounded.

"Excuse me," a middle-aged doctor approached the suspicious-looking man. "Do you have permission to be here? "

Taking into consideration that Requiem was now allies with Teiko, Chihiro saw no harm in visiting the clinic; without having to settle to other methods—like breaking and entering. He sent a fleeting gaze at the noisy doctor who took an anxious step back, before striding down the hallway. _Room 281_ was his sole purpose and destination. "SECURITY!" someone cried out as people gave way to him in fear.

He entered the lift and pressed the button for the second floor. It was an unplanned visit so he had informed no one except Tetsumi and her father. Chihiro had wanted to see the victim personally.

On finding the room, he entered. Scanning the clean, simple space around him; as warm breeze entered through an open window positioned next to the lone bed, he landed his gaze on the patient. "Pitiful creature," he muttered and approached the weak-looking man with bandages wrapped over said person's eyes.

Chihiro took hold of the patient's wrist to check the pulse. Erratic heartbeat with the addition of harsh breathing through the oxygen mask, he observed. "Oh? Can you sense me? You might not be stupid as you look then." He let go of the wrist.

A miniscule detail which could have gone unnoticed, were it not for his trained eyes captured his attention. He smoothly pushed the patient's neck to the right. "Tch, what a surprise," he commented to no one in particular. "You have less than thirteen hours to live. Death must want you very much. Congratulations."

In that very moment, the door flung open to reveal Midorima Shintarou and a dozen of armed security forces. "Who are you?" The green-haired man questioned in a razor-sharp tone.

"Midorima Shintarou," the intruder approached him, unperturbed with the situation.

"I wouldn't ask you again," Midorima gave his final warning.

The sliver-haired man stared back into the cold eyes of emerald-jade and answered, "A passerby from _Requiem_."

"To what do we owe this sudden visit?" The lone Kiseki no Sedai member inquired, still suspicious.

"To observe him," Chihiro placed his gaze on the patient. "He has less than thirteen hours before death comes for him."

"That's impossible," Midorima stated and walked up to the patient's bed. "I had him checked thoroughly and there has not been any other injury then the damage to his eyes, which can't be the reason behind his proposed death as you implied. "

"He was poisoned."

Emerald-jade eyes widened in disbelief. "He cleared the test for poison and we have been keeping a strict check on him and his surroundings. I cannot fathom over how he got poison into his system."

"Well, strange things do happen when you are a part of the underworld."

"Who are you exactly?"

"You'll know soon enough," Chihiro sauntered forward to leave the room; the security force was given the signal to lay down their weapons and let him through.

Midorima watched through the open window as the man from Requiem disappeared into the confines of a black car with tinted glass.

Minutes later, he was on the phone. "Akashi, we have a problem."

* * *

"Nii-san," Kuroko greeted, and climbed into the car. "How was the victim?"

"Twelve more hours left to live."

"That's unfortunate. I thought he would last longer."

Chihiro slowed down the car he was driving, "Poisoned."

"How?"

"A new type, probably, rumors have been going around about it," he gave her an enigmatic reply and changed gears. "Further investigation is required."

"Do you need my assistance?"

"No," he answered. "Mizuki-san, on the other hand, entails your assistance for the gathering."

Kuroko stared out to the evening scenery. "Will you be able to trust them, like _Chichiue_ does?"

"Who knows," Chihiro gave her a sideway glance.

"Oh," she replied, softly.

"Prejudice might get the best of me, Tetsumi. I will try to keep myself in check."

A small smile appeared, "Let's hope for the best then."

"Did you visit that place again?"

She nodded, "I met Kagami-kun too."

"Still with that bottomless appetite, I see. And becoming a vital member of Seirin so soon," there was clearly amusement in the way he spoke.

"Kagami-kun is a wild tiger, after all." Kuroko completed the sentence for him.

"Hn," he gave a nod that seemed to agree with her statement. "That reminds me," Chihiro spoke out as the car took a left turn. "We are getting you a cell phone before heading back to our Tokyo base."

* * *

"Ogiwara Shigehiro reporting for du—ty," the orange-haired man's cheerful voice faded on noticing that Akashi was present next to his employer. "Uh, Good morning?" He greeted, which was more like a question. _Am I in trouble again?!_ _Takao!_ _My ichigo no hitmitsu!_ His mind screamed inside of him.

"Ah, you're here, finally." The person Ogiwara wanted to avoid at all cost, stated.

"I think so?" _But I wouldn't mind coming back much, much later._

"Ogiwara," his boss called out, making him turn his gaze to said person. "Tell me, do you know of a sliver-haired man with eyes void of any emotions, from Requiem?"

"Are you talking about Chii-chan?" he blurted out, not giving much thought.

Both Nijimura and Akashi exchanged quick glances. "What do you know of him?" The Red Emperor demanded.

_Geez, first Tet-chan and now, Chii-chan, do you guys have a grudge against me? _"How do you know him?" He countered back. Wow, smart move, Ogiwara. Very smart.

Nijimura answered, "He might have paid a surprise visit to where that man was kept and predicted the patient's demise."

"Eh?" Ogiwara was surprised. "He did? Why?"

"That's what we wanted to ask you." Akashi's icy voice rang through the quiet room.

"I wasn't informed of any of this," he replied truthfully. "And regarding Chii-chan, he is Requiem's future, looked up by the members as the next leader. Though, I don't know what goes inside that head of his. I mean like, c'mon! Why bother—"

"You're getting off the topic, Ogiwara." Nijimura reprimanded him.

"Sorry, sorry," he gave a sheepish grin.

"Seeing as you have connections with Requiem, I take it that you already know about the gathering which is to take place tomorrow?" Heterochromatic eyes scrutinized Ogiwara like a scientist making a detailed observation with an experiment. On receiving an affirmative nod, he continued, "Excellent, then we will be meeting this sliver-haired man there, correct?"

"Yes, you will be meeting the vital members of Requiem."

Akashi had a pleased look on his face. He looked like he was already setting up a plan. "I will take my leave now, Nijimura-san."

"I will see you tomorrow then, Akashi."

Once the Red Emperor was out of the room and out of his sight, Nijimura's assistant threw himself down on the sofa he was standing next to. "Those eyes are something, I tell ya, Nijimura-san."

The black-haired man gave him an amused look. "I wouldn't mind having Akashi over, if it gets you to be truly serious and quiet."

"Oi, oi, give me a break," Ogiwara sighed, exasperated.

"Sadly, break time is over. Get back to your desk. We still have a lot of paperwork to go over and I need that report which you have so devotedly delayed."

"Yes, mother," he muttered sarcastically, getting ready to face his eternal rival—paperwork and reports.

* * *

Kagami Taiga felt as weak as a newborn on stepping into his apartment. Throwing his jacket to the nearest furniture—a chair, he moved towards the kitchen with the intention of grabbing a bottle of water. He had received an earful of yells on his conduct infront of Akashi; with the addition of getting smacked on the head several times by his bipolar superiors.

His head still felt sore and even the injury inflicted by the Red Emperor was stinging for some reason. The band-aid on his cheek was a living and shining proof of everything that happened was not an illusion.

Yep, today was a memorable day, he decided. A day he hopes will never ever occur again for as long as he lived.

Stripping down to just his boxers, he flopped down on his bed wearily. And perhaps, someone cursed him to no peaceful times ahead, because his phone started ringing; the moment he thought sleep came for him.

With a loud groan, he barked into the receiver on accepting the unwanted call. "WHAT?!"

Silence answered him back. "I SWEAR IF YOU—"

"Kagami-kun," her soft, mellow voice reached his ears, like a melody luring him to the unknown.

He sat up, all signs of weariness gone. "Kuroko? The hell! Do you know what time it is?!"

"It's quarter to ten," she bluntly replied.

"EXA—wait, it's not past midnight? "

"Are you drunk?"

"WHA—NO!" he bellowed. "Pushing that aside, since when do you own a phone? How come I never got your number?"

"Because nii-san bought me this phone as a gift, today,"

He blinked twice. "Am I missing out something here?"

"No, are you unwell?"

"Sheessh! I'm as fit as a fiddle!"

"Good, because your presence is wanted here, tomorrow. No excuses, _Hahaue_ said so."

"…" Kuroko's mother was very fond of Kagami; to the point where she would pinch his cheeks and squeal a delighted _'My darling tiger'_. He would very much like to avoid that.

"There is a gathering, Kagami-kun. Kiseki no Sedai will be there."

Kuroko knew exactly what she was doing. Mentioning them was the only way to bring him and he fell for it. "Sure, I'll be there."

"Then, have a goodnight. See you tomorrow."

Giving her back a quick response, the call ended. "Time to face Akashi once again," he smirked and let out a loud, excited laughter.

* * *

**Next Chapter Preview:**

**Chapter Title: First Impressions**

"_Why do the inhabitants living here call this forest, __**whispering forest**__?"_

"_Only the shadows come and go. The deity in there passes judgment to all, in rage, for the forgotten beloved."_

"_But will they offer yummy snacks?"_

"_Don't apologize, geez! You make me sound like the bad guy here!"_

"_And you always treat me like a kid. I'm older than you!"_

"_Based on what facts, have you begun to trust us so easily to offer your alliance?"_

"_Oh my, how thoughtful of Requiem,"_

**Next Chapter Update: Ha-ha, I dunno? The usual days or not.**

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**Thank you–with cherries on top—so much for the continued support, kurobas lovers!**

**I spent the past few days lamenting over how much I miss that sexy tonfa-wielding badass from KHR; you know perfectly well who I am talking about. If you don't, I'm just going to give you a blank look. I drew hibird as a compensation for my melancholic heart though.**

**TBH, I'm done with chapter six. Just need to review it for mistakes. I never thanked properly those of you who commented your lovely opinions on the potential rival thingy so—THANK YOU (it was fun reading and I know exactly what to do now) and excuse my rudeness, if you found me rude. OTL**

**I'm working on a collection of oneshots (AkaxfemKuro), so is anyone interested in reading it? The first oneshot, in the collection, is called—**_**Sakura Addiction**_**. Oh yeah, if anyone of you have your birthdays on the last week of April or first week of May, do comment the date? **_**Sakura Addiction**_** will be my gift to you guys! (If you want, that is.)**

**Sorry about the NO AkaxfemKuro moments. I want things to take place bit by bit. But you can expect some in the next chapter, m'kay? (;**

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**Anyways, SEE YOU NEXT CHAPTER!**


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